The Last Leaf
by zeke morgan
Summary: A middleaged outcast finds a boy without a home and takes him in, but the government officials arrest the man. The man and boy meet up again years later and the boy learns of the man's story and of the war that destroyed the town they both grew up in. The
1. Chapter 1

Warren sat under the shelter of the oak up on the cliff overshadowing a town he resided near, Creole. It was one of those warm windy nights with clear skies and stars from the heavens that told you the stories. Everyone of them has a different story, much like humans. Warren looked down at the town from up on his vantage point, studying his neighbors walking around finishing up last minute business before dinner with their families by the hearths. He watched as candles were lit and others blew out, as fishermen came in with fish and children were put to bed. A cool wind passed by caressing his hair in its hands. This was his favorite spot to be, a place he used to hide at when he was younger. Looking back, he knew there was no where to hide up here if anyone came looking, but most people didn't bother to climb the cliffs these days. They became too busy for nature, too busy worrying about what happened next, too busy about going home and making sure their families were safe. Some forgot pleasure altogether and many believed if they spent a second in leisure, their children's futures would not be secure. The adversary was getting too close and this was their homeland they were protecting. People dropped pleasure for conquer. It was all about numbers now. How many square miles any given kingdom had, how many farms were producing cheese, and what the population was of any given town. Any people forgot how to live peacefully amongst themselves. Society was in a rut from this war and money was scarce. Townsfolk started stealing from each other, slaying each other for an apple or a pouch with a few silver coins. This generation was lost: lost in temptation; lost in corruption.

Watching over his town, Warren heard footsteps from behind. He quickly rose to his feet and spun around. His hand reached for the hilt of his blade. Looking down at a boy, his hand released its grip from his sword. The boy was holding a rusty, dull broad sword that was probably as big as him. He was a skinny boy with no meat on him. His hair was greasy and dangled over his eyes. He wore peasant's clothing: rags for pants and a white nightgown shirt with worn leather stitching on the neck of it.

"I ask you for your purse!" The boy let one hand go from his broad sword to point at the pouch by Warren's side and almost dropped the sword. The shear weight of the sword encumbered the boy greatly.

"And I must decline in giving it to you." Warren said this scratching his almost graying hair. He was getting older, but these past few years have been his most physical and enduring.

"Then I shall be forced to strike you!" The boy yelled loud enough for the town below them to hear, but then the townsfolk were too worried about their own matters to be bothered.

"Your plan is to kill me for my gold?" Warren was not surprised. Many have attempted to slay others for their monetary possessions in this age.

"If I must!" The boy was anxious now. Beads of sweat ran down his forehead. He was nervous and afraid of what came next. Warren figured he had never killed before by the way his body shook.

"Do as you must..." Warren turned around and looked toward the town below him again. Inhaling and feeling the oxygen feel his lungs, he closed his eyes and relied on his ears. He listened.

He heard footsteps, they were heavy and clumsy. The boy was running toward him with the sword.

Warren exhaled and said a quick prayer to his Lord. "This boy does not know what he is doing. He is young. I pray I may find hope in him."

The boy let out a cry as he swung his sword directly as Warren's back. Warren put his hand on the broach of his cape and unclipped it. He spun as the boy was in range with his sword, and Warren opened his eyes. He looked directly into the boy's eyes and saw the fear that existed. He threw his cape at the child and it knocked the child to the ground, his broad sword fell. The child shuffled under the cape for a minute and then pulled it off of him. He rose and drew his sword toward Warren again. He pulled back and thrust his arms forward, positive he would strike Warren in the chest and finish him there.

But Warren stepped aside in a manner as not to disturb or alarm even the dirt on the ground. The boy stumbled from the miss as the weight of the sword pulled him off balance. The sword dug into the ground and the boy fell, tearing his pants at the knee. He rose, groaning, and quickly tried to retract the sword from the earth but the earth was unyielding.

"Where are your parents, boy?"

The boy was unresponsive, except for the occasional grunt as he attempted to remove his sword from its prison in the soil.

"Are you alone?"

The soil exploded upward as the sword was freed. The boy's arms rose up to swing but Warren grabbed him by one arm and lifted him off the ground. The child dropped his sword onto the ground and struggled to free himself from Warren's grip.

"Tell me your name, little one."

"My name–," the boy grunted and struggled, kicking at Warren, "is Zeke!"

"Tell me, how old are you Zeke?"

"I'm– 6, and I'm turning 7 sometime soon."

"Are you hungry, Zeke?"

The boy continued to struggle in Warren's grip as he answered, "A little."

"Let's go get some food then." Warren put him down and searched his bag for some fruit.


	2. Chapter 2

Warren was walking away from his watch at the oak, back to his home deep in the woods. He was carrying the boy's sword. Walking through the woods at night was quite the sight, though many have forgotten the pleasures of walking in such directions.

The canopies were illuminated and the leaves glowed with fervor. Thick shrubbery lined the ground and aside from some worn paths the forests were covered with lush grass that rose up to the knees. Every once in a while Warren found snakes in the grass, though none could cause any real danger. The bark on the trees seemed solemn, as if they stood watch and kept the darkness out. Vines climbed such trees and hung from thick branches.

Looking over his shoulder he found the child was busily at work, eating an apple he foraged from his backpack. The boy wasn't aware of his surroundings but he didn't seem to care, he looked content with the apple.

A few feet in front of Warren was a fallen oak. He scaled the tree easily but when the boy started to climb and slid down, Warren picked him up and helped him over. They continued walking. Shortly after that Warren heard a thud nearby, followed by the sound of something rolling in the brush. He quickly looked to his side and found nothing but grass and trees. He looked back at Zeke. Zeke's arm was recoiling from throwing the eaten apple.

"Finished already?" Warren smiled looking at the content child.

"Where are we?" Zeke was now looking around and he was putting on his stern face.

"We will reach my house in about an hour. It's deep in the woods so no one can find me."

"I don't want to rest in the woods!"

Warren had previously thought about entering the town and looking for the boy's parents but it didn't seem wise as the sun was setting and he was too tired to strain himself.

"Don't worry Zeke, the Forest of Tier is a quiet place. These woods aren't scary. Besides, we have our swords right?"

Zeke looked up at Warren and nodded hesitantly. Warren knew Zeke didn't know how to use the sword but that was irregardless of the fact it made Zeke feel safer.

When they reached the house Warren looked down at the child as he held the wooden door for the child to go inside. It was more of a cabin then an actual house. It had four windows and was composed of one giant room. Outside of his house were some logs, a burnt out fire with a kettle over it, a bucket by the side of his house, and some farming equipment. To the side of his house was a garden composed of vegetables. The sun faded and it was too dark to see past the house into the trees around the clearing.

Zeke walked in and looked around. There was an unmade bed and a desk with a feather pen and paper resting on it. Warren entered and placed the boy's sword by the door quietly so as not to distract the boy. After looking around Zeke went to the window and looked outside. He was quiet.

"So Zeke, tell me why you needed my money." Warren placed his backpack, coin pouch, and sword by the side of his desk and sat down, leaning back on the chair. He rested his eyes as he spoke.

"My parents told me money is used to buy things."

"What did you need the money for?"

The cabin got quiet and after a few moments Warren opened his eyes and looked over at Zeke. The boy was sitting on the bed now and looking down at the ground.

"Well?"

"I needed the money for food, mister."

"Why didn't your parents give you money for food?"

"Yesterday my daddy told my mommy he didn't know when he would be back and that he loved her very much. She was crying a lot. And this morning she was gone and she didn't come back for the whole day."

Warren was curious what had happened and suspected foul play. It wasn't uncommon for a villager to turn up missing or dead since all the thievery began in Creole and the other small-shot towns..

"We will look for them bright and early."


	3. Chapter 3

The Last Leaf Chapter 3

The bright yellow sun in the sky had left for the night and rose just as quickly to the surface of the world burning vibrantly just as Warren fell asleep and woke up ready for another day prepared to continue his eternal search. He awoke on the floor under a sheet, and looked up at the boy resting in his bed. Not sure what the day would bring he went into his garden, picking and eating some raw green beans. There wasn't much in the garden, and he didn't have any seeds to plant it. Quite frankly he didn't have any money to his name that could be used to buy seed or food. Warren's most valuable assets were his sword and his cross. The blade is a saber his father gave him. The saber was symbolic because his older brother's name was Saber. When the war first broke out Warren's father was enlisted in a local army and he was dragged away to fight to the death. Before he left he entrusted two swords to his only sons. Warren and Saber were left with there mother who struggled to take care of them both. Some days they went without eating. Some days they scavenged for food, just as Warren does in the present.

"Mom, when is daddy coming back?" Warren used to ask.

"Soon, son. First he has to stop the fighting."

"Mommy, when will the fighting stop?"

"When one kingdom takes over the other."

"Mom?"

"Yes, Warren?"

"When are we going to have money?"

And Warren's mother used to sigh and look up at the sky.

"Warren... Our family doesn't have the money to buy physical things like food or clothing but we have a different type of wealth."

And she used to point up to the clouds and say, "Up there, Warren, we have another house. We can't get to it yet but up there we have more money than we will ever have down here?"

"Mommy how do we find that house? When can we go to it?"

"Don't worry about finding the house. As long as you look for it down here, you'll find it up there. Always look."

"I miss daddy."

"I know, Warren. I know."

Warren looked at the child sleeping in his bed and thought about his mother and where she was now. Dragging his hand through his hair, he strapped his father's saber to his side and got his heavy boots on.

"Zeke, wake up. It is time to search for your parents."

The boy stretched out, opening his eyes. He kicked off the covers while yawning and looked around the window. After a few moments of confusion, Zeke looked around the room frantically.

"Mister where did you put my sword?"

Warren led the boy outside and showed him the broad sword leaning on the logs of his house. The boy lifted the sword with great difficulty and started dragging it along as Warren went into his garden and got a few greens to give to the boy.

"I don't like those." The boy kept dragging the sword as he moved away from the cabin.

Reluctantly, Warren went through his backpack and took out his last apple.

"Have this then. I'll hold your sword as we walk."

The boy traded off his sword and they began to town.

"Zeke, tell me, why did you climb up the cliffs where I was at yesterday. Why didn't you stay in Creole?"

"I was walking through the town market and I tried asking someone for help but everyone walked past me so I went back to my home, got my daddy's sword and as I left town I saw you up on the cliff. I thought maybe you would have money so I could buy food."

"Why didn't you ask for it instead of trying to take it?" They climbed over a fallen tree and continued on. Warren was careful the boy didn't slip while climbing off as he answered Warren's question.

"I saw someone else do that near my house and he got a whole bag of gold."

"Zeke, some people work very hard to earn their money. It isn't polite to try and take other people's money."

"Why do other people do it then?" The boy had finished the apple and threw it into nearby brush.

Warren looked for the words inside him to explain that people were desperate and starving and had no other path to walk down.

"They don't know it's wrong to take money."

"Oh... Hey, mister?"

"Yes, Zeke?"

"What's your name?"

"My name? It's Warren." Warren sighed feeling his childhood memories returning as he walked.

"Warren...What does it mean?"

" It means guardian or watchman."

"Guardian? My mom told me Zeke is Luccan and means, "Strength of God."

"Maybe that's why you can lift this heavy sword!" Warren lightly tossed the sword in the air and as it fell the hilt landed in his hand.

The boy looked up at Warren as Warren juggled the sword around in his hand with dexterity. Zeke asked, "Warren why do you live in the woods all alone? Where are your parents?"

Warren, caught off guard by this question and almost dropping the sword in midair, opened his mouth to answer but found no words. He thought of how he resorted to thievery himself to get by and how the town had a bounty on his name. One thought led to another and he wondered how he was going to help the boy find his parents when people knew his face in town.

"I..." Warren thought twice before deciding what he wanted to say.

"I like living in the woods..And I don't know where my parents are either just like you." Warren looked up from the grass as he answered and saw the town was in front of him.

"Zeke, do you know where you live?"

"Yeah, sure I do."

Warren looked at his dirty attire and at his sword. He took a deep breath and walked alongside Zeke as the boy led Warren to his house. It was early. Not many people were up, and those that were up were in the market or at their job sights making their living. Chickens roamed the streets and children chased them with small sticks, laughing cheerfully. Wives were sweeping off the front steps of their houses minding their own. Smoke rose from the chimneys of many houses as morning meals were being prepared. Zeke took Warren down an empty street aside from a boy bringing a bucket of water to his house from the town's well. In the neighboring town, Ridgevale, there is a great lake the villagers can rely on but in Creole, the inhabitants rely on rainfall to fill the well.

Zeke pointed to a house around the bend and they entered it. It was empty as Warren suspected.

"Is this how it was left yesterday, Zeke?"

"Yes, Warren."

"Do you know any of your parents friends?"

"No, I don't know their names, just that they used to go hunting with my daddy."

Warren sighed. There was a hunter's guild he could consult about the parents, but most everyone in Creole was a hunter or farmer seeing how we were near no trade routes that supply food. He grew anxious at the thought of confrontation with the townsfolk.

As he exited the house he noticed a group of men circled the doorway. He knew the men wanted him. They must have spotted him as he walked down the street.

"What are you doing with this boy?" One of the men surrounding him asked this. The man was older and looked like he hadn't shaved in weeks. He held a pitchfork.

"The boy, lost his parents and he came to me for help. I look for no trouble."

"Where were you when he found you?"

Warren didn't want to disclose the whereabouts of the cliff he took watch at or give away the location of his house in the Forest of Tier.

"I was on the edge of town." Warren took a step outside of the doorway onto the dirt road. The ones surrounding him took a step back.

"Preparing to steal some more food I presume?" The one with the pitchfork did all the talking. The others watched intently and guarded the speaking man.

Zeke looked up at Warren. "You stole from them? You told me taking things was bad!"

Warren looked down at the boy with an open mouth then back up at the men. He felt ashamed that the trust he built up with the boy had already been broken.

"Can you help the boy find his parents? He said they were missing since yesterday morning."

"Send the boy to me." The unshaven man motioned for the boy to come into his arms. Warren handed Zeke his sword gently. As Zeke walked right to the townsman with the heavy sword dragging him halfway to the ground, Warren took a step to the left. Warren backed himself away from the crowd and got out of the position where he was between the house and the people. As he walked into the center of the road all eyes were on him.

"Warren you need to come with me." The man motioned to follow.

"I cannot. I must decline." Warren said this and took another step back.

"You're wanted for thievery...assault...murder. You're wanted dead or alive and the reward is 500 copper pieces."

"And you would take my life for the money? Would you not be committing the same crime as myself? You are selfish." Warren turned his back on them not wanting to see the expression of the boy. They took a step toward him.

"My wife and kids need food on their plates. I can't let you leave without slaying you or taking you in. I need the money."

Warren looked over his shoulder just enough so his eye met contact with the townsman's.

"You mean to attack with a piece of farm equipment?"

The man looked at his pitchfork then at Warren.

Warren began to walk away.

"Take care of the boy."

The unshaven man yelled down the dirt road at Warren.

"This isn't over, get back here."

Warren opened his mouth to yell how he gave up his life of murdering a long time ago as he walked toward the forest, but closed his mouth and his eyes as well. He bowed his head and thought of his mom and the treasure that was waiting for him elsewhere.


	4. Chapter 4

Ch 4

Two of the town officials were talking amongst each other in a dining room with a wooden table between them. Both had graying hair but one of the men was balding and in clothing of good condition while the other wore old and stretched out clothing. It had been twenty four hours since Warren left the town.

"We still have not found the boys parents. We searched inside of town and on the outskirts."

The balding man looked into a cup of wine he was holding. "What should we do with the boy, Mr. Argor?"

Mr. Argor replied, "We need to find a home for the boy. We can't put him out on the streets. Find him a family."

"You mean to place a boy in a family that is not his own? Do you see the implications?"

The other answered him, "Implications or not, the boy will starve without someone to watch over him, Charles."

The bald man, Charles, responded again waving his hands up in the air, "Mr. Argor, who will take him? Families cannot feed their blood relatives. Taxes are left unpaid. Just today another fruit vendor was robbed of all his fruit. Crime is at an all time high. Villagers are starving, and you worry about a boy?"

"Charles, I understand something needs to be done about the town, but we don't have any more room in the jails for criminals. We can't keep pulling them in especially when they are stealing just to survive. Send the boy to the Ashford family."

"Yes, Mr. Argor."

"Oh, and Charles."

"Yes, Mr. Argor?"

"Tell the family we will give them 3 copper a week for their troubles."

The men finished their wine and the man named Charles went into the other room to bring the boy to the Ashford family down the road. He entered the room and saw the boy swinging a piece of wood around.

"Zeke."

The boy dropped the wood and ran over to Charles. "Hey! Did you find my parents?"

"I'm afraid we don't know where your parents are, Zeke."

The boy frowned and looked up at Charles. "I miss them though!"

"I know. Zeke, come with me. I'm going to let you stay with someone else until your parents come back."

"I want to stay at my home though!" The boy threw the stick on the ground and crossed his arms.

"You aren't old enough to stay at home. This is a nice family that will suit your needs. There is a mother, a father, and a boy you can play with there."

"I don't want to!" Zeke turned his back on the man.

"Let's go, Zeke."

Charles knocked on the door of the Ashford's. It was a small house and Zeke would have to share a room with the boy, Nick.

A woman answered the door. She was middle-aged and had gray hair. In her hand was a hand-crafted broom created from a stick and hay strands. She wore a white apron that had dirt blotches on it and she wore a blue dress underneath her apron.

"Hello, may I help you?"

"You are Kay, correct?"

"Yes, that is my name. Is something wrong?" The woman placed the broom behind the door.

Charles replied, "This child, Zeke Morgan, was found in a street without parents. By order of the magistrate of Creole, Mr. Argor, it will be your duty to watch over this boy and take care of him as one of your own until his rightful parents return."

"I– We can't. We can't afford to feed another mouth."

"And he cannot afford to feed himself. Mr. Argor has agreed to give your family 3 copper a week in payment for watching over the child."

"Three copper can't feed a mouth for a whole week..."

"I'm just the messenger. If you want to negotiate you will need to talk to Mr. Argor. It is not my place to make decisions that only he can make. I apologize for this inconvenience."

Kay coursed her hand through her hair. "Have you any idea where his parents may be?"

Charles responded, "They have been missing for three days now without a trace," and he whispered in her ear, "it does not seem they will be returning."

Her mouth opened and she put her hand over it gently, overwhelmed with sympathy for the boy. She looked down at Zeke, who had held his broad sword on the ground and was looking away at the chickens in the road.

"What is his name again?" Kay asked.

"Zeke. Zeke Morgan."

Kay sighed and said, "Zeke, why don't we go inside?"

She nodded to Charles and he began to walk away.

Zeke sat at the dinner table as the sun began to set. His sword was under the table. Kay sat next to her husband Tate. He was a strong man who had a receding hair line and dirty clothing. He was a carpenter. Sitting to Zeke's left was Kay's child, Nick, who was about the same age as Zeke. Zeke picked at the carrots on his plate when Nick broke the silence.

"So why is this boy with us again?"

"His parents are away for a while, honey." Kay responded.

Tate grunted and spoke to Kay, "Argor is a bastard for doing this."

Kay's eyes widened, "What did I tell you about your tongue?"

Tate pushed himself out of his chair, knocking it over saying, "I'll say whatever the hell I want. He had no right to throw this burden on us."

Tate pointed to Zeke as he yelled at Kay and then stormed out of the kitchen.

Nick pushed himself off his chair the same way his father did.

"Dad doesn't like you very much." Nick started to walk out when his mother yelled at him.

"Nick be nice to the boy. And finish your food before leaving the kitchen."

"Mom!" Nick whined and got back in his seat. He played with his food for a while.

Dinner ended and the sun had set. Zeke was in the corner of Nick's room with his sheathed sword in front of him on the floor. He was huddled up in a ball, staring at the sword. Beside him in the middle of the room there were some blankets and an old pillow set up on the floor as a bed for him.

He put his sword under the blankets and went into the living room where he saw Nick playing with an old train. Nick looked up as Zeke walked over then continued on his own.

"Can I play with you, Nick?" Zeke sat down across from Nick.

"No! Go away..." Nick turned his back on Zeke and kept playing.

Zeke got up and went to the front door to go outside. The door opened in front of him and Tate stood in the doorway.

"Where do you think you're going?"

"I was going to go play with the chickens."

Tate's face was red with heat from working outside. "Chase chickens around? Don't be a fool."

Kay entered from the kitchen and addressed Zeke, "Zeke, stay inside. It's too dark out to play. When it gets dark, bad people come out."

Zeke turned toward Kay but felt Tate push him aside and close the door behind him. He looked at Tate then back at Kay. "Bad people come at night?"

"Yes. People come and steal things."

Tate pushed past Kay into the kitchen. She could tell he was in a bad mood from working in the yard.

"Kay?" Zeke walked toward her scratching his head.

"Yes, Zeke?"

"Do you have any apples?"

Kay put her hand on his head and said, "No we don't have any apples. Why don't you go to bed."

Nick looked up and saw his mother's hand on the boy's head. He became jealous and started to scheme at how to upset the boy but pretended to play with his train when his mother looked over at him.

"I don't want to go to bed," Zeke said sulking, "I miss my parents."

"I know, Zeke, I know." Kay rubbed his hair and turned to go into the kitchen.

Tate entered the kitchen doorway with a beer in his hand. "You heard, Kay, go to bed. Tomorrow morning you'll be doing work around the yard. You need to earn your keep here, boy."


	5. Chapter 5

Last Leaf Chapter 5

Warren's legs pushed hard as he ran through fields of grass toward the Forest of Tier. His hair was flowing backwards against the wind and his senses were on fire listening to his surroundings. Passing by a few old trees he entered into a clearing in the forest. He ran right in the middle of the clearing and birds flew out from their hiding spot in the tall grass. He withdrew his saber from his sheath and turned.

"Warren, always causing trouble." A man held a musket at Warren from the entrance of the field. He continued, "Turn yourself in and save me the trouble of shedding blood."

Warren was silent and held his sword in front of his body as if he were entering into a sword fight.

The man with the musket had short black hair and had a star on his white shirt, a symbol he was part of the law. But this man was not just part of the law, he was the law in Creole. He was the chief of the three small jails in town, and he controlled all the town guards. There were a lot of wanted men in Creole but this man wanted Warren the most.

"Where do you plan to run, Warren. You can run through the forest all day but when you stop running I'll still be behind you with the musket."

"You cannot harm me, Allebail."

The young man scoffed at him. "Still so cocky. Let me ask you something, Warren. Why did you change your side? If you didn't screw up this war would have ended."

Warren tightened his grip on his blade as the sky darkened. Memories loomed through his mind as Allebail tore open old, forgotten wounds deep inside of him. A cloud was passing over the sky causing a shadow over the whole forest. He responded, "You speak the words of a traitor. You still believe it would have ended, don't you? That life is over and this life is now, Allebail." Warren thought about the fruit and corn he stole in town.

"You traded all the riches and fame in the world for what? Absolutely nothing. I'm getting tired of these hide and seek games I play with you. Today I'm taking you in, don't think you can shake me this time. I'm giving you one more chance to lay down your arms and turn yourself in."

Warren looked up and noticed the cloud was about to pass by as a gust of wind crossed through the forest and the sun was almost ready to reappear in the sky. "Fire your gun and you'll miss. You aren't a bounty hunter. Just a man with a fancy gun and an eager lust for blood and ore." He reached into his pocket subtly and took his hand out with a closed fist.

"Enough of your words! I gave you my warning!" The man's finger tightened around the trigger and he aimed his musket, preparing to fire it.

As he pulled the trigger Warren threw his hand from the right side of his body to his left opening his palm. The cloud was removed from the sun's path as this happened and the sun shined down into the forest. From Warren's hand came a sparkling dust that was caught by the gust and covered the area Warren was standing in. The sun illuminated the sparkling powder creating a barrier of light. Warren's wide eyes followed the pellet as his hair danced over his face. The pellet passed through the dust and zoomed by his head splitting bark and wood in a nearby tree with a deafening crackle.

The powder settled down onto the ground and Allebail put his gun down by his side. He could see half a mile into the forest but nothing was in sight except trees and shrubs.

He spoke to himself. "So be it Warren. If you want to use deception to gain the advantage then I will play your game. Had you ended the war you would have been a hero. Now you are nothing. Nothing! Just a criminal."

Allebail turned and left the scene. Warren rose from a nearby shrub where he was hidden and sighed. He sheathed his sword and looked into his backpack. Five apples, two oranges, and three ears of corn. The food would probably last two days at most. He knew he would have to go back in town again and remain undetected to retrieve more food for himself and more seed for his garden.

"Too close..." He breathed out as he sat with his back against a tree watching the sun travel. Warren thought of the ease of leaving his home in Creole and leaving to a place where a bounty wasn't on his head for thievery. But he turned his head away from the sun to the grassy fields that swayed in the wind, and he knew his past would come back to haunt him wherever he went.


End file.
